Weeds

[Phil2306]

I have a large paved area where weeds grow between the pavers,
I have tried everything that can be bought, and sometimes they die but are back again in a couple of weeks, I tried vinegar with salt, useless,,
Many years ago I used I think it was called sodium chlorate, which was great,, killed weeds, and none grew back for 6 months or longer,,, what can I use that will be as effective,,

My dad used to buy that bit he said it's been banned for a few years cancer scares I think ?

You could get a blow torch & incinerate them? Or plant something to out compete the weeds, like Erigeron, creeping thyme, campanula etc.

My uncle uses cheap biological washing powder. Pours it on the weeds, then pours hot water out of the kettle on it. Works a treat. I'm going to do mine this way having spent £££ on stuff that doesn't work.

Boiling water from a kettle but be careful of splashes.

You will always have to do it, whatever you use, as plants will always grow where they can. Might be worth chipping out the mortar in-between and re-doing as that might last a few years but it's easier to boil a kettle imo.

Pour boiling water onto the weeds (carefully - try to keep it off the pavers in case they crack!). They may come back, but weaker each time, so if you keep removing or killing the weeds, they should eventually give up.

DH uses Pathclear on our block drive.
It's glyphosate (systemic weedkiller) plus something else that prevents regrowth - it says for up,to 3 months but I don't think he needs to use it more than once or twice a year.

When I'm retired I'll probably start hand weeding it

Rather than fighting the weeds why not grow something nice in the cracks? Something like erigeron, violets or creeping thyme would be nice, or mind-your-own-business if it's shady.

And forgetmenots and primroses in spring. We stayed in a lovely B&B near Stirling once which had the most gorgeous paved area with various plants growing between the slabs. I suspect that for all its apparent careless charm it was actually quite high maintainence though.

I suspect that for all its apparent careless charm it was actually quite high maintainence though. I’ve got to settle down sometime this summer to extract all the annual meadow grass without disturbing the harebells